The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-14
BUSINESS BAROMETER.
GENERAL CONDITION OF TRADE.


NEW YORK, May H.-R. Il. Dun K Col
weekly trade review says: A great revo
luton In business fs going On. With rad
ically conflicting accounts Of aerious lo,sel
at nome localities and in some branches
and Of wonderful gains at other placeu, o.
In other departments ot trade and industry
tho difficulty OF reaching just conclusion
respecting the general tendency ia much
enhanced. The Inter.tiiato act Is but on,
OF several causes which contribute to pro
duco this revolution In commerce, cxpan
sion in the volume, and change IL
the kind Of currency Is another
not lees important. Most unexpected re-
sultu are produced; the Interstate act
clearly helps some who bitterly opposed
1t, and as clearly Injuries others who OK.
pected great benefits from its operation.
Thus the river business In the weat is ex.
panding under the influence OF the law,
and the railroads are at the same time
getting larger oarnlnss from the part oil
the traffic they retain, ,while not few
cities, az Cincinnati does, that trade in
many lines, is greatly embarrassed.
One general teudoncy ie disclosed by
tho urgent demands for suspension, OF
change Of the law, especially from those
who most favored its enactment. Serioue
diversion OF trade from Western citiee
which have been chief centres Of uiotribu.
ton 10 In progrcRs, and a multitude oI
smaller towns nre yeapipg the benefit
Western products do not rs u rule pain
anything in Eastern markets. II wlies,
has advanced 22c aince the act wen. ioto
effect, corn and oats have declined free.
ton. Pork Is also the same in price, lard
half cent lower, hogs 10 lover and beef
the game price. Cotton hes beon nd,
yanced tc, bu. this change, like the rise
in wheat, is clearly speculative and there,
fore threatens reaction through Curtail.
men. Of demand.
Railroad building is not checked by the
ect, as yet, aud there in a probability that
encouraging traffic at many instead OF few
centres OF trade, the iaw may tond to the
building up Of numerous local roads and
parallel or riyal liueR.
The output Of pig iron again increases
reaching about lS0, 800 tons weekly, May
Aosi Eue ttile ID plouAuty liSu WhIHr GlafK
for the time, many furnaces in Tho Pitts.
burgh region having einca been "banked'
bscsuge OF the coke strike, while otte,
ess.ern furnaces discontinue pred1c.i6G
on account OF rail rates. Enormous iul.
porte also tend to tho depression.
The lockout o; the stove moldera has
increased in Importance, and suspic:ons
ara growing that tho manufacturers desire
through general auapensoN Of work, x
reach q higher range Of prices for pro
ducts.
Exports Of wheat in April we're 6,524,.
! 06l bushels against 5,352,075 last year
with 955, ,260 barrels Of flour against 7O3,.
l2s last year; exports OF broadstuus reach.
ed Sl2. .5a4 ,i39 in value against Sll 1855, ,0iS
last year, showing that the comparatively
quiet market in that month favored large
Equipments. But prices have since climbed
rapidly with sales OF nearly 5000. 600 bush.
els in week, and exports are checked,
while accounts Of aeeding show a greai
increase in acreage in Dakota and Min
nesota. -
The business failures during the last
seven days number for the United States
l35, for Canada SO; total 167 sgainst 49,
last week, and l7G the corresponding week
last year. Failures are decreasing in al
parts of the country, except perhaps
Canada and the Provincea.